The History of John Boos & Co
In 1887, Effingham, Illinois blacksmith Conrad Boos used a Sycamore tree placed on three legs while hammering horseshoes. Three years later, a local butcher realized a wooden Boos Block could be used for cutting meat, and had one custom made. By 1911, John Boos & Co was shipping custom butcher blocks from coast to coast. Throughout the 20’s to 40’s, John Boos expanded and added tables and workbenches to their product range, the majority of which went to the war effort during WWII. By the 1940s, John Boos had earned their outstanding reputation for quality and craftsmanship, and their butcher blocks were found in every restaurant, food store and butcher shop in America. Today, the traditional craftsmen work ethic is still alive and well at John Boos, where all boards and butcher blocks are still proudly manufactured in Effingham, Illinois. Often imitated, John Boos boards and blocks are favorites of professional chefs and can be found in restaurants and commercial settings worldwide.